Wart Removal: HSA Eligibility
Wart Removal: reimbursement is not eligible with a Health Savings Account (HSA)HSA Eligible Wart Removers
What are warts?
Warts are local growth on the skin caused by one of over 100 types of human paillomaviruses (HPV). Warts can come into different forms including common warts, flat warts, plantar warts, periungual warts, filiform warts, and genital warts. Some warts can produce large, unpleasant masses that are cancerous, while others are common skin warts not associated with cancer. They often affect just one part of the body, but it is possible for it to spread to other areas if you pick at them (WebMD).
How should warts be treated?
Warts will usually disappear over time, although the naturally healing may vary and take up to several years to fully heal. On average, half of all warts go away within about 18 months. Treatment options are available to expedite the healing process.
How do salicylic-acid treatments work?
Salicylic-acid preparations are available as drops, gels, pads, and plasters. It can be applied to most type of warts, from tiny to big lumpy ones. Salicylic acid dissolves the protein (keratin), which makes up most of the wart and the thick layer of dead skin that often surmounts it.
How does freezing work?
A doctor will use liquid nitrogen to freeze a wart, forming a blister around the wart. The dead tissue falls off within about a week. There are also aerosol spray wart treatments that are available over-the-counter and freezes warts at a temperature of minus 90 F.
What are some other treatments?
Cantharidin, an extract of a blister beetle, can be applied to the skin to form a blister around the wart. The blister lifts the wart off the skin so that a doctor can then remove the dead portion of the wart. Bleomycin can be injected into a wart to kill a virus. Aldara, an immunotherapy drug, is another cream that can be used to treat a wart. Lastly, minor surgery may be used to cut away the wart. You can consider a laser surgery a procedure that utilizes an intense beam of light to burn and destroy wart tissue.